Lagos State Government on Sunday said it would soon meet the demands of the State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).
Mrs. Yewande Adeshina, a Special Adviser to Gov. Babatunde Fashola, said this at a meeting with the NMA, government officials and the Committee on Health Services of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA).
“The state government has promised that it will meet the demands of the medical doctors very soon.
All the issues on ground will be addressed and government will make sure that the promises are kept,” she said.
The state chapter of the association had, on Sunday called off the proposed strike due to the quick intervention of the state government.
Dr. Ajibayo Adeyeye, the Majority Leader, LAHA, in his address to the medical practitioners, also assured the association that the state government would fulfil its promises.
Adeyeye appealed to the association to find a way to resolve the pressing issues without embarking on a strike, stressing that anything otherwise would adversely affect the lives of Lagos residents.
“We cannot afford another strike in the health sector. One minute of strike in the health sector by whatever body can be very disastrous to the State.
“The ripple effect of a strike will be greater in Lagos, being the most populous state in country and even in West Africa,” he said.
Mr. Suuru Avoseh, the Chairman, Committee on Health services LAHA, charged the Lagos NMA and the government representatives to have a cordial relationship on how to resolve their differences on a regular basis.
“For the sake of patients, we should join hands” Avoseh said.
Dr. Francis Faduyile, the Chairman, NMA, Lagos State chapter, said that the intending strike was called off purposely for the sake of the patients in the various state hospitals.
Faduyile also said that the prompt intervention of the state government, with the assurance of the House committee on health service, also gave the doctors the confidence to return to their duties.
The national body of the association had also decided to suspend its planned strike which was to begin on Jan. 6.
At a briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the President of the Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said that this was to allow for full implementation of all the elements of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) set by the government.
Enabulele said that all medical and dental practitioners in the country had been directed to continue to render services to patients.
Source: Independent Television and Radio
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